Just begin where you are…

How to start-

• Take care
• Calculate the current situation
• Set the targets
• Plan and commit
• Make a schedule
• Determine the progress
• Seek support
• Do effort continuously

A very crucial question always stuck in everyone’s mind in the beginning.

Where should I start?

What should I do?

Am I capable or not?

But remember things are interconnected. You cannot think about a single thing.

If you think only about your finances, you will be sure to be in trouble with your relationship or health.

So, you should work on every aspect of life. If only one aspect is not completed, then it could affect another aspect very badly.

Suppose you have great savings and investments but are not serious about your health. This could be hazardous for your savings and investments, too.

Likewise, if you do not have sufficient time for your partner to cause excessive work pressure, then it could ruin your relationship.

Thus, you must think about every aspect of life before stepping ahead.

For a wealthy and blissful life, every aspect should be considered crucial.

If we change some habits and behaviour positively, then it will definitely affect us positively in our lives.

But from where to start and how can it be initiated?

When we think about making a change in our lives, overwhelming thinking always takes place, that there is so much to do.

We think a lot about everything.

But we should always think about what to do instead.

It should not be a comparison with others or your past life.

But it should progress step by step.

Personal growth should be gradual and continuous.

To do all this and start a positive journey towards your financial, relationship or health goal, you must accept who you are and where you are.

The first step in solving a problem is the identification of the problem.

You must know what the real problem is.

Suppose you want to lose weight but to set a goal you must know how much your weight is, then you can ascertain how much you could lose.

I know it is easy to give advice, and situations are different in everyone’s day-to-day life.

But really if you want to change the situation then you will have to start with yourself.

And a small step can be a great initiative for a long journey.

So, if you have identified problems which are responsible for your current situation then you have taken your first step.

Maybe you are unemployed then you will have to get employment first and your efforts should be accordingly

But it is also possible that you have employed as well as have a good saving and you need guidance in your retirement planning then conditions will be different.

After taking the first step means identifying the problem now ways are open towards progress,

Now what to do?

• First, take care of yourself. Remember you are not alone, and many people have the same problem in the world at the same time.

And if many people are facing the same problem, then sure there will be solutions.

Give priority to yourself and evaluate your condition.

Do not feel guilty about your past or your mistakes but accept it as without accepting you will not be able to evaluate.

Give preferences to your sanity and physical health

Without a healthy body, your mind will not be healthy and without a healthy mind, you cannot make good decisions.

Try to be happy, healthy, confident and resilient.

If you need the support of an expert, then go for it. Money investing in yourself always gives better returns.

• Calculate your current situation.

identify your current net worth. Calculate your debts, bills, assets, and current income. Here time should be also considered an asset.

Suppose you are at an early age then your retirement planning is so easy.

And if you are in a job where you spend approximately 10 hours per day then you will not have so much time to spend on other things.

In both conditions, the strategy will be accordingly

Figure out all the assets you have and all the liabilities you have to pay.

Then find out your net worth.

By finding your net worth, you will be able to know where you are standing and what strategy to follow.

• set your targets and figure out where you want to go.

Your target should be realistic and specific.

Make a vision of where you want to go and what you want in the long term.

Of course, your long-term goal should be to get financial freedom, but it should be realistic.

It should not be like I want to become a millionaire in 1 year or

More commonly, how can I become a zero to hero?

Vision also should be specific as to how much time you must achieve your target.

Imagine your long-term goal and write it on paper.

It will help you to decide whether your long-term goal is realistic or not.

As well as you will have more clarity about your long-term goal.

• plan and commit to it. But do not pressure yourself to reach your goal in a single day.

Make a series of small goals according to your mission and then try to achieve small goals gradually.

Remember, if you are pressurizing yourself to achieve your goals, then maybe those goals are not realistic, but your goal should also not be much easier than you fail to achieve your mission.

Suppose your present age is 25 years and your financial mission is at the age of 60, on your retirement, you must have 1 crore rupees, then this mission is realistic and specific as you are very clear and have sufficient time.

But you make a goal that you will invest rupees 1000 in a mutual fund with a 10% return expectation till your retirement then by only this goal you cannot achieve your long-term goal and you will have to make some other specific goal such as starting a passive income or learning something new so you could get some great increment in your salary.

• Rebuild your life and make a suitable schedule.

If you are following the same routine or schedule, change it slightly. If you do not have a routine, try to create a healthy one.

Without a schedule, you will attempt erratically, and in the end, you will feel apprehensive and stressed. Since it’s not approximately a day but approximately accomplishing a life goal.

Change your image in your own eyes and feel confident as it will improve your mood.

For this, take a healthier lifestyle.

Exercise for 15 minutes a day, or get enough sleep, a journal practice in the morning or an evening walk.

A simple step can make a big change in your mentality. Start an easy task and then make some great effort to boost your confidence.

Give thanks for what you have and try to continue for what you want.

Love yourself as you are exceptionally critical to your family.

Overall, you have to achieve some great goals.

• Do not compare yourself,

With your past or others.

Do not think about where your friends and family members are or where you are according to your past expectations.

Instead, think only about where you must be and relatively where you are.

Suppose you have to go 100 miles away, then you can not reach there by thinking about who has reached there or where others are while, you will have to think about how much time you have to reach there and accordingly on which speed you should run your car or which way will be most suitable.

But you can learn from others by their mistakes or their strategy.

By others, you can ask which way is suitable or how much speed is safe on that road.

It’s not a race, we don’t have to win, but we have to reach our target.

Comparison is not possible as conditions are always different and accordingly results.

But by discipline and continuous efforts, we can achieve our target.

• Do not make a complex plan,

But keep things simple, if your plan is complex, then you are less likely to follow it, and if the plan is so simple, then it will take a long time to achieve the target.

If your monthly income is rupees 50000/-, then you cannot save rupees 30000 per month as it will be so difficult and by saving rupees 2000 per month you will not be able to achieve your target in the desired time.

So, you will have to plan accordingly.

If your job does not allow you to do an extra 4-hour part-time job, then do not do it as it will ruin the situation in the near future.

Focus on one thing first and then go further. Try to understand your capabilities and situations and then spread your feathers.

• Seek support.

If you are not able to decide, then take a bit of advice.

Choose a mentor who could be anyone, a family member, a friend or a professional expert.

By taking good advice you can make decisions confidently and your path will be clearer.

Your mentor can show you the path he has walked, and he knows all the pros and cons.

But choose a mentor who is an expert in his field.

An expert with whom you can start your journey and cross miles of success.

• be patient and make an effort continuously,

Good things take time.

You might not notice anything different, but changes take place.

Believe in yourself and progress gradually with discipline.

Do not fear making mistakes, it will teach you.

You will have to try different ways to choose the best way for you.

Do not try to choose the perfect way to achieve your target, instead choose a good way enough and make this way perfect by your continuous efforts.

There are plenty of lessons to learn and plenty of things to do.

It may be in a relationship, personal finance or health, but without starting you cannot get anything. Life is unexpected, you do not know which opportunity is yours.

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks and then starting on the first one.” ― Mark Twain

So, start where you are……